The Always Blue Society

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Tom Zé might be from outer space. Of the Tropicalistas, Zé was probably the most avant garde and prone to Dadaist urges, and his first album was a clattering, messy masterpiece of the late 60s Brazilian movement. Then Tropicalia proper lost momentum and its two main figureheads (Gil and Veloso) were exiled. However he continued to explore musically into the 70s but, while many of his contemporaries essentially became pop stars, Zé fell out of the public eye which, to be frank, he was never really in to begin with.

Todos os Olhos contains some of Zé’s most experimental arrangements. Polyrhythm, polytonality, some wild time changes. You get the idea he’s making it up as he goes, but at the same time the music is exceedingly deliberate. Zé takes established Brazilian forms like samba and bossa nova and adds and subtracts until they become something totally his own. Yet for all the musical sophistication going on here, Zé makes it sound effortless, not to mention like he’s having a hell of a good time making it. It’s a lot of fun to listen to, too. I’m told he’s quite the lyrical surrealist as well, so I’m sure if I understood Portuguese there’d be a whole ‘nother level of subversion going on, but I can’t really comment. Needless to say, you should listen to this album. Oh, and also, the cover’s a photo of a marble in somebody’s butthole.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

First off, shout to all the loyal readers. Your continued patronage to this blog is very appreciated. Now if we could just get those damn Russians to quit trying to sell us penis pills or whatever, we'd be A-OK. Anyway...

Pete Dello was the founder and leader of Honeybus, a former next big thing in 1968 with the single “I Can’t Let Maggie Go”. Really, they released quite a bit of good material (there are any number of compilations available on the innernette) but the band never really lived up to the commercial promise of their hit. Dello left the band after pressure to tour behind the single.

This release pretty well exemplifies Dello’s sound. At times overly precious, the songwriting and arrangements are solid and the production on point. The melodies are impressive, even incessantly catchy. Sillier songs like “Harry the Earwig” and “Uptight Basil” make the album memorable. Choice cuts like “It’s What You’ve Got” and “Do I Still Figure in Your Life” make the album great. And there’s just something about Dello’s breathy vocals that’s just so appealing. None of the songs surpass the three-and-a-half minute mark, making Into Your Ears a relatively quick listen. The songs ensure you’ll want to do so often.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

I don’t know why I haven’t posted about the Incredible String Band yet. I think I maybe thought they weren’t “obscure enough” or some bullshit. For those of our readers - if we still have readers and not just robot ghost posters - who aren’t familiar with the group, check here. Not to be lazy, I just think this is a better history than I could give without shark biting the entire entry.

Wee Tam was originally released in a two LP set as a companion piece to The Big Huge in the U.K. but, in true fashion, the U.S. record industry saw fit to release them both separately. Which is just as well I guess, because Wee Tam is the more solid of the two in my opinion. It’s hard to fuck with the one-two punch of The 5000 Spirits or the Layers of the Onion and The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter in the ISB catalogue, but I think Wee Tam comes closest. This album hits that sweet spot just before Mike Heron and Robin Williamson became complete and utter space cases. The album starts with “Job’s Tears” which, in rather typical ISB fashion, contains more amazing melodies in one song than many of their contemporaries in the British folk scene would have across an entire album. As in past albums, they don’t just stick to folk of the British Isles. “Log Cabin Home in the Sky” is a pretty straightforward slice of Appalachian folk with just a touch of lyrical trippiness (trippyness?). Mike Heron is on top of his sitar game throughout the album, nowhere more evident than on “The Half-Remarkable Question,” arguably the album’s best track. The album closes on “Ducks on a Pond” which again borrows from American folk traditions, complete with Woody Guthrie quote.

While it may not be as strong as the two albums that came before it, Wee Tam is definitely worth the time. The more you listen to it, the more you’ll like it.

Also, check this video out. The sound is out of sync a little, but peep the tunics.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

So yeah, we’ve fallen off but hey, what can you do? Anyway here’s another sporadic post.

I’ve been meaning to post about this one for a long time. Aphrodite’s Child was made up of London-based Greeks Lucas Sideras (drums), Demis Roussos (vocals, bass), Anargyros "Silver" Koulouris (guitar) and Vangelis Papathanassiou (keyboards). The latter went on to fame as, what else, Vangelis.

End of the World is probably not everyone's cup of tea. There is some seriously schmaltzy stuff on here (“Rain and Tears”, a hit in Europe, is probably the biggest culprit). But, in a way, that’s what makes it so charming. Vangelis does most of the composing/arranging, employing the mellotron pretty heavily, but Roussos’ raspy croon makes the album if you ask me. Standout tracks include “Mister Thomas” and the droney “Grass is So Green.” The closest touchstone might be the Moody Blues, but that comparison only goes so far. Aphrodite’s Child definitely brings their local flavor to things, especially on “The Shepherd and the Moon.”

Aphrodite’s Child would go on to make more adventurous and progressive music, with Vangelis at the helm (and to the chagrin of the rest of the band). This is probably best exemplified on 666, a concept album adapting the Book of Revelations. It’s a pretty tough listen, however. End of the World is better.

Tracklist:1. End of the World2. Don't Try to Catch a River3. Mister Thomas4. Rain and Tears5. Grass is So Green6. Valley of Sadness7. You Always Stand in My Way8. The Shepherd and the Moon9. Day of the FoolListen to "Grass is So Green"

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Coming out of Auckland, New Zealand, House of Nimrod were Bryce Petersen, Johnny Breslin, Billy Lawton, Tony Pilcher, and Larry Latimer. All songs, from what I gather, were written by Petersen, a children's songwriter. That's about all I know. This EP gathers all four songs recorded under the House of Nimrod moniker and they're good as hell. Some serious phasing used, to great effect I might add, on "Slightly Delic". All four songs are concise nuggets of psych-pop.I think you'll like it.

Saturday, August 8, 2009

First of all, you're probably wondering what a man with such social equity as myself is doing at home on a Saturday night. The short answer is none of your business. The slightly longer answer is eating ice cream and trying to remember how to make blog posts. So, in what I believe is the first double album post on The Always Blue Society and is even more certainly the first themed double album post on The Always Blue Society, here we have two albums by a couple of artists who hit it big in the early '60s, fell off, presumably took some drugs, then made some pretty sweet psych albums.

First up is Del Shannon's The Further Adventures of Charles Westover. You probably know Del, born Charles Westover, for his hit 1961 single "Runaway". That damn organ solo seriously gets in my head for, like, days at a time. Often. Anyway, this 1968 outing finds Shannon exploring the more baroque side of American psychedelia. That means strings. Lots of them. And if you've ever read any of my other posts, you probably've gathered that's kind of my cup. The 1-2 punch of "Silver Birch" followed by "I Think I Love You" is probably the highlight of the album for me, but the album overall is really strong.Tracklist:1. Thinkin' It Over2. Be My Friend3. Silver Birch4. I Think I Love You5. River Cool6. Colour Flashing Hair7. Gemini8. Runnin' On Back9. Conquer10. Been So Long11. Magical Musical Box12. New Orleans (Mardi Gras)

Second is Chubby Checker's Chequered!. Chubs is most known for the single/dance craze "The Twist" that white people loved so much. I'm not totally clear on the details of this one, released in 1971. Something about Amsterdam, a shitty record exec on a shitty record label. Apparently Chubby's not keen on talking about it. The good news is it's a pretty good album. If you're a fan of psych-blues-gospel-rock stuff in the vein of Sly and post-Love Arthur Lee, you'll probably like it. Lots of organ. "Goodbye Victoria" has an earwig of a chorus. "Stoned in the Bathroom" is pretty funny. I like "He Died" also, some really satisfying chord changes.

Tracklist:1. Goodbye Victoria2. My Mind3. Slow Lovin'4. If the Sun Stopped Shining5. Stoned in the Bathroom6. Love Tunnel7. How Does it Feel8. He Died9. No Need to Get So Heavy10. Let's Go Down11. Ballad of Jimi12. Gypsy (Bonus Single)Download Chequered!

There's probably a bunch more albums in line with this post's theme. I was considering including The 4 Seasons' The Genuine Imitation Life Gazette and The Tokens' Intercourse, but I wasn't sure they were really worth writing about, although Gazette has its moments. Unless we get readers clamoring for these albums, you should be able to find them pretty readily on the innernette.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

The toilet motif is no secret from the start. W.C. stands for wash closet, the album art is a painting of a toilet, and the very first and last thing you hear on the album is a toilet flushing. But it doesn't go any further than that, as not much else has anything to do with toilets or toilet humor for that matter.

Ladies W.C. consisted of Venezuelan-born American bassist/vocalist Steve Scott, two Venezuelan brothers named Mario and Jaime Seijas, and Venezuelan guitarist/organist/artist Adib Casta. Casta, who produced the album art, would become more famous for his paintings. Scott and Costa co-wrote most of the songs, which were inspired by the likes of Paul Butterfield, early Steve Miller and Cream. This was their one and only album, which is mostly upbeat blues-based psychedelic rock. With that said, it does drift into more gentle territory quite often, with some choice ballads and introspective songs.

The harmonica is used heavily, usually in a raucous blues-style but sometimes in unexpectedly creative ways. In "To Walk on Water," as the vocalist sings "Gonna hear the sound of the moon in the trees," the harmonica suddenly breaks into a peculiar melody and rhythm that increases in pace and intensity as the lyrical phrase ends. It's as if the harmonica is imitating whatever sound the moon might make in the trees, and it's actually quite convincing.

Featured just as heavily as the harmonica is Casta's blistering acid lead guitar. Sometimes the guitar is in a typical blues style, but just as often it ventures into heavy wah-wah and fuzz madness. The rhythm section is on point, providing thick, rhythmic bass lines and head-bobbing beats. The vocals are pretty solid, with an admirably loose and simple approach. The songwriting is never exceptionally brilliant, but there are many gems and not one bad song to speak of. One element that's consistent throughout the album is the use of various sounds to segue between songs, like crowds, babies crying, orchestras tuning, etc. While it's not all that groundbreaking, it does provide another level of interest and occasionally supports the themes of the songs. Ladies W.C. took a while to grow on me, but I sure am glad I gave it a second chance after shrugging it off during my initial foray into psychedelic music.